Debuting at the 1966 Turin Show, Pininfarina’s elegant Sport Spider, based on a shortened FIAT 124 saloon floor pan and running gear, achieved tremendous success for FIAT. The attractive model sold over 200,000 units before production ceased in the early 1980s.
In 1968, both the coupé and spider versions entered the North American market, marking a significant milestone. To meet American preferences, a General Motors three-speed automatic transmission became available in 1979.
Additionally, a version featuring Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection and a catalytic converter was introduced for California in 1980 and standardized across North America in 1981. Though FIAT discontinued the model in 1981, Pininfarina continued its production for three more years as the Pininfarina Spider Azzurra for North America and Pininfarina Spidereuropa in Europe.
Source: Bonhams
